Formerly easyridersofhann.blogspot.com and once upon a time a tale of three gamers blog, now my painting blog and general 40k musings

Wednesday, 13 January 2010

New Blood Angels on the way

Well aren't I excited now. The official e-mail has come out and the forums are going nuts, Blood Angels are on their way. The new codex being released in April time.

This is the first codex I can say I am genuinely excited about owning. Blood Angels where the first 40k miniatures I collected and I have recently made a return to them.

What has also struck me is how nuts the rumour machine has gone already and how some plain fantasy wish list posting is after two pages of random nonsense segwayed by the odd bit off common sense has these wishlists quoted as fact. Rumours of space marines flying bats, flying landraiders, Captain Tycho back in 17 varients each of which come with more ICANHAZMURKILLLZZ!!11! better than before.

I for one am trying to take the restrained path so I offer the 4 of you that read this my insight into what will come in the new codex and will revisit it in April to see how accurate my predictions were

Dante - Stat line to bring him up to date with other chapter masters so gets orbital bombardment, eternal warrior and I am expecting a special rule based on the fact he is the oldest living chapter master at 1,100 years old. So something along the lines of "ancient tactition" or something like that....probably effecting reserve rolls in some way.

Tycho - Updated rules to bring his stats in line with Sicarius and the option of pre and post Hissy Fit rules and points

Lemartes - new sculpt and updated rules.

The return of Moriar the dreadnought as a HQ choice possibly.

Mephiston I am expecting big things for. With the inclusion of him in pre-lord of death guise in space hulk and the bump that Nigel got in the space pups dex I am expecting his stat line to remain the same but BAngles to get 6 phsyic powers to choose from the same as vanilla codex and puppies and for Mephiston to know all of them and cast 3 of them per turn. Not expecting an inv save for him though....he is T5 and 2+ as it is so only has to worry about doubling out from S10 and there isn't too much of that around. Rail guns and demolisher cannons he can hide in a squad from and any S10 hitting monsters or characters...well he has furious charge and S6 on the charge with a force weapon....I'd fancy his chances against Lysander (granted the force weapon doesn't help then but the volume of high S attacks does!) or a big bug.

I can see the DC coming back as an elite option to be paid for as normal squad, either that or as a command squad type unit for a chaplain. Ie do not use a force org slot but you need a chaplain to buy one. Not predicting any massive new rules for them though, just a jig in how they are bought which leads me to......

Reduced cost of most units. tac squads, assault squads, dev squads....anything that had a points bump to account for "Free" DC models. I am expecting these to brought down in line with the standard marines codex with assault squads getting the options for flamers as well.

Also expecting the old Black rage rule to come back in some form or other, either in the form of furious charge across the board or unlocked by buying a captain and it replaces Chapter tactics.

With regards to models I would expect a blood angels box set with the option to assemble the units as either DC or assault squads with upgrady bits for other models. Also expecting a new predator release with plastic Baal assault cannons.

There are rumours of another vehicle on the same stand as a valkyre.....that I have no idea about and am not going to speculate or listen to rumour for the time being on that one.